S 781
A.D. 970. King Edgar to Ely Abbey; grant of 10 hides (cassati) at Stoke near Ipswich, Suffolk. Latin with English bounds.
Archive: Ely
MSS: 1. Cambridge, Trinity College, O. 2. 1, 55rv (s. xii; incomplete)
2. Cambridge, Trinity College, O. 2. 41, pp. 88-92 (s. xii med.)
3. Cambridge, U.L., Liber M, pp. 66-7 (s. xiii2; incomplete)
4. Ely, D. & C., Liber Eliensis, 55rv (s. xiii2; incomplete)
5. BL Cotton Tib. vi, 99rv (s. xii; incomplete)
6. BL Cotton Titus A. i, 25v (s. xii2)
7. Bodleian, Laud Misc. 647, 33v (s. xii; incomplete)
Printed: Gale, Scriptores XV, i. 520; K 1270; Mon. Angl. (rev. edn), i. 475 (no. 4); Stewart, Liber Eliensis, p. 118; B 1269 ex Stewart; Pierquin, Recueil, pt 5, no. 30; Blake, Liber Eliensis, pp. 112-13.
Comments: B 1269, identifies the place as Stoke by Nayland, Suffolk; Ekwall, DEPN, p. 445, accepts Birch's identification; Blake, Liber Eliensis, pp. 416-17, probably authentic, modelled on charter of Athelstan, identifies place with Stoke near Ipswich; Hart, ECEE, no. 77, authentic; John 1966, pp. 202-3, authentic; HRH, p. 230, probably authentic, subscriptions are consistent; Forsberg 1973, p. 13, on detil of bounds; Keynes 1980, p. 44 n. 77, pp. 77-8, 'Edgar A' formulation, probably drafted on the same occasion as S 777 and by the same draftsman; Hart 1992, pp. 60-2, on bounds.
Notes: Bishop Æthelwold is said to have given the king 100 mancuses of gold for the property (Blake, Liber Eliensis, pp. 111-12).
Carta regis Ædgari super villam de Stoche .
Flebilia fortiter detestanda titillantis seculi piacula diris obscene horrendeque mortis circumsepta latratibus . non nos patria indepte pacis securos . set quasi fetide corruptele in voraginem casuros provocando ammonent . ut ea toto mentis conamine cum casibus suis non solum despiciendo set etiam velut fastidiosam melancolie nausiam abominando . fugiamus . tendentes ad illud propheticum . 'Divitie si affluant nolite cor apponere' 1 .
Qua de re infima quasi peripsema quisquiliarum abiciens ; superna ad instar pretiosorum monilium eligens animum sempiternis in gaudiis figens . ad adipiscendam melliflue dulcedinis misericordiam perfruendamque infinite leticie jocunditatem ego Ædgar per omnipatrantis dexteram totius Britannie regni solio sullimatus . quandam ruris particulam . X . videlicet cassatos in loco qui celebri æt Stoce nuncupatur vocabulo . sancte Dei ecclesie ad reverentiam beati Petri apostolorum principis . necnon beate Adeldrithe perpetue virginis dedicate . loco qui celebri Elig nuncupatur . onomate ob eterne beatitudinis remuneratione perpetua largitus sum hereditate .
quatinus rus prefatum ad usus monachorum . inibi degentium uti Ædelwoldus episcopus suo famulatu obtinuit devote deserviat .
Predicta equidem tellus cum omnibus utensilibus pratis videlicet . pascuis . molendinis . ac suburbanis . supradicte jugiter subiciatur æcclesiæ . Sit autem predictum rus omni terrene servitutis jugo liberum .
tribus exceptis . rata videlicet expeditione pontis arcisve restauratione .
Si quis igitur hanc nostram donationem in aliud quam constituimus transferre voluerit . privatus consortio sancte Dei ecclesie . eternis baratri incendiis lugubris jugiter cum Juda Christi proditore . ejusque complicibus puniatur ; si non satisfactione emendaverit congrua quod contra nostrum deliquid decretum .
His metis præfatum rus hinc inde giratur .
Ðis synt þara . X . hyda land gemæra æt Stoce þat is þonne ærest of ðære hyðe andlang streames æt Æscmannes yre 7 swa forð on midde weardne stream þæt hit cymð on brun[nan] . swa forð on ðeofford 7 þannon on haligwylle on healdenes ho . of þæm ho on pottaforda on hagene forda brygge . of hageneforda brygge on hore wade into merscmylne . of merscmylne into þer brige .
Anno dominice incarnationis nongentesimo septuagesimo . scripta est hec carta his testibus quorum inferius nomina caraxantur .
Ego Ædgar rex totius Brittannie prefatum donationem cum sigillo sancte crucis confirmavi .
Ego Dunstan Dorobernensis ecclesie archiepiscopus ejusdem regis donationem crucis signo consignavi .
Ego Ælfstan episcopus consignavi .
Ego Æþelwold episcopus consensi .
Ego Osulf episcopus .
Ego Wynsig episcopus .
Ego Oswald episcopus .
Ego Alfwold episcopus .
Ego Æðelm episcopus .
Ego Alfwold episcopus .
Ego Ælfstan episcopus .
Ego Wuluwric episcopus .
Ego Wulfsige episcopus .
Ego Ælfrige episcopus .
Ego Æswig abbas .
Ego Osgar abbas .
Ego Ælfric abbas .
Ego Ælfstan abbas .
Ego Æþelgar abbas .
Ego Kynewearð abbas .
Ego Ælfearh abbas .
Ego Folbriht abbas .
Ego Godwine abbas .
Ego Bryhtnoð abbas .
Ego Osward abbas .
Ego Bryhteh abbas .
Ego Ælfere dux .
Ego Ordgar dux .
Ego Æðelstan dux .
Ego Ædeluuine dux .
Ego Bryhtnod dux .
Ego Oslac dux .
Ego Wulfstan minister .
Ego Ædelward minister .
Ego Ænulf minister .
Ego Ælfard minister .
Ego Osward minister .
Ego Osulf minister .
Ego Ælfwine minister .
Ego Ædwine minister .
Ego Ælfric minister .
Ego Ælfhelm minister .
Ego Ælfsige minister .
Ego Wulfstan minister .
Ego Winsige minister .
Ego Wulfget minister .
Ego Æþelrige minister .
Ego Bryhtric minister .
Ego Lefa minister .
Ego Hringulf minister .
Ego Osulf minister .
Ego Þureferð minister .
Ego Heanric minister .
Ego Lefhric minister .
Ego Ædwig minister .
Ego Leofwine minister .
Ego Aþulf minister .
Ego Osferd minister .
Ego Ælfhelm minister .
Ego Sigeferð minister .
Ego Osgod minister .
Ðis is Ðræ . X . hyda land Boc Ætstoce Ðe Ædgar cyning ge bocade Gode and Sancte Ædeldrede into Ely on ece yrfe his saule to alysednesse ealswa Ælfdryd hit ge ærndode his ge bedda .